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No Model.) 7 3 Sheets-Sheet 1. P. NOUA'ILHAG-PIOCH. APPARATUS FORDISGHARGING 0R THROWING EXGAVATED 0R OTHER MATERIAL. No. 426.848.

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F. NOUAILHAG-PI-OGH. APPARATUS FOR DISGHARGING 0R THROWING EXGAVATED OROTHER MATERIAL.

No. 426,848. Patented Apr. 29, 1890.

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v FERNAND NOUAILHAC-PIOCH, OF PARIS, FRANCE.

APPARATUS FOR DISCHARGING OR THROWING EXCAVATED OR OTHER MATERIAL.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 426,848, dated April29, 1890.

Application filed May 25, 1889. fierial No. 812,142- (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, FERNAND NOUAILHAC- PIOOH, a citizen of the FrenchRepublic, residing atParis, in said Republic,have invented a new anduseful Apparatus for Discharging or Throwing Excavated or otherMaterial, of which the following is a full, clear, and exactspecification.

The removal of excavated matter from the 'place of excavation to theplace where it is deposited or formed in banks is for public works aquestion of very high if not paramount importance with regard to therapidity and the cost of the execution of the work. Especially for theconstruction of the great canals of navigation, where considerablevolumes of excavated matter are piled up by the sides of the passagewhich is to be dug, this question of the cheapness and quickness of theremoval of the matter is of the very highest importance.

The Widening of the canal of Suez and the completion of the canal ofPanama under the best conditions of expedition and cheapness dependundoubtedly on the more or less perfected character of the means usedfor excavation and for the removal of excavated matter.

The object of my invention is an improved apparatus for removingexcavated matter by the combined application of centrifugal force andballistics.

In observing and analyzing the movement of the workman throwing awayearth by means of his spade, it will be noticed that he imparts to thisearth a rotary motion as quick as his forces will allow him to do on theaxis going through the joints of his shoulders, and that at the momentthat he considers the impulsion imparted sufficientto make his spadefultravel over the desired distance he retains his spade, and the excavatedmatter is lanced forward at a tangent to the surface of the spade, andimpelled by the centrifugal force obtained by the impulsion of themuscles and the rotation on the joints of the shoulders. The earth thusthrown will take a parabolic trajectory, and the range dependsessentially upon the force and the skill of the workman. In likewiseanalyzing the movement of a child throwing a stone with a sling, it willbe seen that he progressively imparts to the sling a rapid rotary motionaround the forearm and the fist. Then at the moment that he considersthe impulsion strong enough to drive the stone over the distance to theobject (of which impulsion he is able to judge by the centrifugaltension of the two straps of the sling) he lets one of the straps go.The bag of the sling passes into a lateral position and the stone startsat a tangent to the circle of rotation and under an angle, the shape ofwhich is determined by th enatural skill and strength of the child. Whatis done by the workman and the child can also be done in an auto maticway by a machine acted upon by a powerful motorsteam or other. For thispurpose it is sufficient, first, to impart to a drum a more or lessrapid rotary motion around a horizontal axis; second, to convey intothisdrum in a continual manner the excavated matter which is to beremoved to the desired place; third, to arrange on the periphery of thisdrum a certain number of movable devices which in their generalcharacter act like spades, in which case their opening is effected bymovements in the same or inverse direction in planes perpendicular onthe axle of the rotation of the drum, or like slings, in which casetheir opening is effected by lateral movements perpendicular to thepreceding; and, fourth, to effect in an automatic manner the opening ofthe spades or slings at the moment they successively reach a certainpoint for the release of the excavated matter, animated by theperipheric velocity of the drum under an angle determined by experiencein order to have a suitable range.

The idea to use the spade or sling for lancing excavated earth orprojectiles is as old as these instru1nentsthat is to say, it dates fromprehistoric centuries; but I do not believe that up to this timeat leastnot with regard to public worksthe' idea has been conceived toconstructa machine performing in an automatic and continual manner amovement analogous to those of the digger or slinger, and to use thisapparatus for the purpose of systematically removing matter from oneplace to another.

The apparatus consists, essentially, in a rotating drum divided by acertain number of partitions into compartments, wherein the 0X cavatedmatter is conveyed by means of a funnel. The periphery of the drum mustbe provided with openings allowing the matter to escape in the directionof the tangent under the action of the centrifugal force. Eachcompartment must be closed withan automatic closing device, which isopened at a suitable point by the medium of a litter, the point wherethe opening is effected varying according to circumstances.

To be better understood, I shall separately describe the principal partsof this apparatus, reference being had to the annexed drawings, whichmake part of this specification, and wherein Figure 1 shows alongitudinal section of the apparatus. Fig. 2 is a side elevation with adetail of a spade-closing device. Figs. 3 and l are variations ofspade-closing devices. Figs. 5, G,and 7 are variations of sling-closingdevices.

As the drum is bound to rotate at a great velocity, it must of course beconstructed in a thoroughly solid manner. It is formed of two sidepieces or walls A and B, of steel plate, mounted on a nave or boss 0,fixed on the driving-axle D. These two side walls are connected bypartitions, forming con'ipartments. These partitions are arrangedradially around the axle and are straight at their origin and thencurved for the purpose of conveying the matter to the outlet. The wallsof the drum might, if necessary, be braced against shocks,

either by giving them a slight conical shape,

or by connecting them through very solid cross-beams, or bystrengthening them at the proper place. If a peripheric velocity ofthirty meters can in general not well be surpassed for castironfly-wheels, a velocity up to one hundred meters, and even more, may' besafely attained by well-constructed steel wheels.

The excavated matter is conveyed in a continual manner into the drum.For this purpose a number of openings are arranged in the wall B,located in a concentric manner around the axle and corresponding innumber with the compartments, the partitions of which terminate in thetruncated cone F, in which all these openings branch out. This truncatedcone is constructed integral with the drum, and is of course carriedalong in its rotary motion. On the otherside an elbowconduit G ends insaid truncated cone, and carries on the opposite end a funnel H, whereinthe matter is directly dumped by the dredging-machine, the excavator,85c. Though the driving-axle D is laid through the elbow-conduit G, thelatter is stationary and is held by a support I, arranged on the centralupright J of the frame carrying the arrangement. The introduction of theexcavated matter can be done in dilferent mannersfor instance, by way ofthe center of the axle. In this case the axle must be made of hollowsteel, and the central boring must of course have a diameter equal tothe largest piece which is projected by the apparatus. It might also belet in at the periphery of the drum; but this method would involve toosudden changes of velocity. At present I prefer the method heretoforedescribed, wherein the matter gradually assumes an increasing velocityas a consequence of the partitions in the truncated cone and the drum.In the drum are arranged, as before described, a number of partitions K,and on its periphery a corresponding number of orifices O are to befound. Each of these openings must be provided with a valve or closingdevice, which is opened in an automatieal way at a certain moment inorder to allow the matter to escape. A number of arrangements may bemade to attain this result, and which bear the character either of aspade or a sling.

The system represented in Fig. 2 is an automatic spade-closing device.The proper spade is formed of two similar parts L M, pivoted together atN, so that if shut together these two parts completely close the opening0, and in their most open position they leave said opening entirelyfree, thereby allowing the matter contained in the compartment toescape. The closing of the spade is assured by the centrifugal working,which has the tendency to continually keep together the two parts. Thevalves may therefore be termed centrifugally-controlled, inasmuch ascentrifugal force tends constantly to operate them in a certaindirection.

The following arrangement is made for the purpose of opening the device:Every sector L M is provided with a lateral arm R, which connects again,by means of the rods S I, with a traction-bar T, carrying on its otherside a roller U. This roller runs against the inside of a disk V,mounted 011 the axle D in such a manner that it is not carried along inits rotary motion. The inside surface of this disk is provided with aprojection X, which works like a lifter by displacing the rollers U.lVhen the roller is lifted, the traction-bar T and the rods S S arecarried along, and in this manner the device is opened. At eachrevolution of the drum the roller U, passing over the projection orlifter X, will cause the device Ice ITO

to be opened, which will be closed as soon as the roller has passed saidlifter by the working of the centrifugal force. This will of course berepeated for each apartment of the drum, which is provided with asimilar closing device.

Other spade devices might be used. For instance, a device consisting ofa single part located either on the outside or the inside of the drummay be used. (See Fig. I11 this case the spade makes an oscillatingmovement around the stationary point a. Fig. 4 shows a modification inwhich the closing device swings on the point g, located very near to it.

WVith these devices the disk V must be arranged so that its position canbe changed.

A screw toothed wheel Y, gearing with a worm Y allows of 'a circularadjustment. An adj usting-screw Z assures the longitudinal adjustmentnecessary for throwing the apparatus in or out of gear. The lifter-X canconsequently be placed at any suitable place in accordance with thedesired direction of the projection of the matter. Sling-closing devicesmight also be adopted.

The arrangement shown in Fig. 5 opens by a hinge e on one end, while theother end is held by a spring-catch (1 similar to those used in looks. Apressure by an exterior arrangement on the staple will open the device.Other variations of this system are shown in Figs. 6 and 7.

As heretofore said, the adjusting-screw Z enables me to move the disk Vin a longitudinal direction. This movement enables me to discontinue orstart anew at pleasure the projection of the excavated matter during therotation of the drum. Every other equivalent arrangementfor instance,levers or ratchetwheelsmight be used to attain this purpose.Consequently the engineer can entirely control the projecting of thematter at any suitable distance. It is even possible to increase ordiminish the discharge of the apparatus by constructing the lifter insuch a manner that the degree of opening will depend upon the placewhere the roller runs over the lifter. This result is easily obtained bygiving it a sloping end. If all parts of the wheel and the lifteraresymmetric, then the movement is reversible, and the matter may be thrownout on either side by simply reversing the machine. I The motion can betransmitted by any suitable motor and in any suitable manner. Theprincipal axle D is provided to this end with two pulleys P P, one fixedand one loose, arranged on any suitable part of the axle. It may also beacted upon directly by a machine of very quick rotation.

Figs. 5, 6, and 7 relate to arrangements which may be used with coversrotating on an axle parallel to the projecting plane, as is the casewith the sling. In Fig. 5 is shown a lid S, rotating on an axle O as ahinge, the centrifugal force tending to open the lid. The lid is keptclosed by a cam K, which will bring the lid to its closed position bymeans of the link Z and sliding rod Z, and thus force the slidingspring-catch (1 into the eye 0. At the desired point or time of openinga tumbler g is pushed upward by the cam K, presses on the spring of thecatch (Z, and permits the lid to be quickly opened by the centrifugalforce. In Fig. 6 the lid presents the special feature that the weight f,placed outside the line of hinging of the lid, carries the center ofgravity of the lid beyond this line and 'has the tendency to cause thecentrifugal force to keep the end 1) of the lid constantly against theside wall 2) of the apparatus. The closing being thus insured by thecentrifugal force,

each side and have the two cams K K operi ate together in order toobtain the simultaneous opening of the two symmetrical parts.

The applications of this apparatus are numerous. In the construction ofcanals, railroads, highways, &c., it may be used for the quick removalof the excavated matter. It may also be used in the construction ofrailroads for making the embankment. In the maintenance of canals fornavigation, drainage, or irrigation it may be used to spread over theadjacent fields excavated earth charged with azotic matter, which ishighly valuable for agriculture. In the maintenance of railroads it maybe used to make free a road blocked up by snow. In the art of war it canbe a useful help for the engineers and the artillery to throw upparapet-s at a distance or to fill up the ditches of fortifications. Itmight also be used as a war-machine, if it is made to lance pebble orrubble stones, bullet-s, grenades, or other projectiles of smalldimensions not requiring a great precision nor a too great range.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is 1. In a centrifugalmachine for discharging excavated material and other purposes, thecombination, with a suitable hopper or feed device, of a rotary druminclosed around its periphery and adapted to receive material therefrom,valves or gates carried by said drum, and means for opening said valvesat a predetermined point or points, substantially as set forth.

2. In a centrifugal machine for discharging excavated material and otherpurposes, the combination, with a suitable hopper or feed device, of arotary drum adapted to receive material therefrom, and hinged valves orgates carried by said drum and automatically operated, substantially asset forth.

3. In a centrifugal machine for discharging excavated material and otherpurposes, the combination, with a suitable hopper or feed device, of arotary drum adapted to receive material therefrom, hinged andcentrifugallycontrolled valves or gates carried by said drum, anadjustable projection for opening said valves at a predetermined pointor points, "and means for adjusting the angular position of saidprojection relative to the center and horizontal diameter of the drum,substantiall y as set forth.

4. In a centrifugal diseharg'ing-machine, the combination of a rotarydrum inclosed around its periphery and adapted to receive and carryearthy material, a valve in the pe ripheral wall of the drum, andmeansfor opening said vah'e at a predetermined point or points,substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have signed this 10 specification in the preseneeof two subscribin g witnesses.

FERNAND NOUAILHAC-PIOOI-I.

\Vitnesses:

JOSEPH CoURNIE, T. GUY SONGSTER.

